Knitting-machine.



No. 644,309. v Patented Feb. 27, |900.

A. WHITE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Application led Oct. 20, 1898.) (No Model.) 3 Shets-Sheet .jfl-:yy/ y19-.17334.75

No. 644,309. Patnted Feb. 27, |900. A. WHITE.

KNITTING Mmmm-z.

` (Application led Oct. 20, 189B.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

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A. WHITE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

(Application mea oct. 2o, i898.)

No. 644,309. Patented Feb. 27, 1900.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EFcE.

ALBERT WHITE, 0E LowELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

kNiTTiNo-MACHINE.

SPECIFICA TIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,309, dated February' 27, 1900. Application filed october 20,1898. serinuofemzo. (roman.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT WHITE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new -and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to knitting-machines such as are adapted to introduce into a singlethreaded fabric a variety of colors one at a time, severing the yarn last previously knit in and introducing a new color. I;

I hereinafter describe and claim amechanism capable of being applied to the ordinary circular spring-needle machines now in use without alteration of the same except by the addition of parts and capable of introducing successively a large number of colors to form horizontal stripes, the width of each of whichis regulated by automatic devices. Said mechanism moves at the proper time a yarnguide into a suitable position to deliver the yarn to the needles and before the thread is severed returns toits normal position, so that the severed end is left in a position in which it cannot be accidentally drawn intoy the machine by another yarn.

Some of the objects of this invention are to prevent any tension or strain on the yarn when it is being introduced or being severed, to introduce the yarns from the different yarnguides at the same place and at the' same height on the needle and loop-wheel, to sever the yarn when the corresponding yarn-guide is at a distance from the needle-cylinder and to leave the end of the severed yarn projecting from the guide of a proper length to be caught by the loop-Wheel and needles when said guide next approaches said cylinder, to

use a single means, as a single jet of air, to direct the end of yarn which projects from any yarn-guide in operative position into the proper place to be caught by the loop-wheel and needles, to cause the introduction of a yarn by one set of projections on the patternwheel and the severing of said yarn by another set of projections on said Wheel, and to sever one yarn simultaneously with the introduction of another yarn.

In the accompanying drawings, on three sheets, Figure l is a front elevation of a needle-cylinder, its supporting-table, and my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan of the same, showing also the loop-wheel and its su p'porti ing parts; Figs. 3 and 4, sections in detail oii lthe line 3 4 in Fig. l to illustrate the operation of the shear-arm; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the parts at the left of and above the line 5 5 in Fig. 2, omitting the needle-cylinder and loop-Wheel and the operating-lever, some of the parts being in vertical section; Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 6 6 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6, an end elevation of the pattern-cylinder; Fig. 7 a longitudinal section on the lines '7 7 in Figs. 2 and 5; Fig. 8, a vertical detailed section showing a part of the ratchet of the pattern-cylinder and the carriage in side elevation andthe feed mechanism of the pattern-Wheel; Fig. 9, a plan of the carriage; Figs. l0, l1, and 12, vertical detail sections showing the operation of the middle yarnchanging guide; Fig. 13, a plan of said guide and the corresponding slide and connecting parts.

The needle-cylinder A, Figs. l and 2, carrying the needles o. and needle-clamps d', the loop-Wheel B and its supporting parts, and the table C, which supports all the other parts of the machine, are all of any usual construction andoperation and are used with other Wheels and parts commonly found in circular spring-needle knitting-machines.

An eccentric or cam D, secured to the cylinder A, rotates therewith, and once in every revolution of said cylinder strikes a leverd, which turns on a vert-ical pivot-bolt d', secured in the top of the table C, said lever near its outer or free end being pressed against by a skeleton carriage E, Figs. l, 2, 5, 6, and 7 to l2, which is guided in aframe F, rigidlysecured on the table C, and said carriage is drawn toward the needle-cylinder by a spring e2, stretched between a rear portion of said carriage and a hanger f1?, removably secured on said frame F, but in use stationary.v

The frame F is represented as rectangular, having two vertical sides ff', provided with ears f 2 f 3, through which bolts or screws f4 f 5 are driven into the table C and having ends f6 f7, said sidesbeing provided with grooves f 8 f 9 to receive ribs e e on the carriage E and guide said carriage longitudinally.

The carriage E has secured to it an incline IOO e3, which when said carriage is moved away from the needle-cylinder by the action of the lever d runs under and raises a pawl-rod G, provided with a pawl g, pivoted thereto at g', as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8, which engages a ratchet-wheel H', rigidly secured to the pattern-cylinder H con centrically therewith and is raised suiiciently by the action of said incline to rotate said ratchet and cylinder an angular distance measured by one tooth of said ratchet. The rod G is guided vertically in a sleeve-bracket g2, secured to the inner face of the front side f of the frame F by screws g3 g4, and the patterneylinder is suitably j ournaled in said frame. When the carriage E is again moved toward the needles by the spring e2, a spiral spring g5 restores the pawl-rod G to position in an obvious manner, said spring g5 connecting said pawl g and said bracket g2 and serving also to keep said pawl in engagement with said ratchet-wheel. As many hooks I (ve being shown) as there are movable yarn-guides J J2 J3 J4 J5 or as there are separate yarns 'y' y2 g3 g4 1/5 on which the machine is designed to operate are pivoted on a horizontal rod l', supported in a sleeve e, secured to the top of the outer or left end of the carriage E, parallel with said end, and provided with slits e5, arranged at equal intervals and serving to receive and properly space the pivoted ends of said hooks I. The free ends of the hooks I normally rest upon an apron K, pivoted at 7.: 7s at the end nearest the needle-cylinder in the incline e3 and in a stand e6 or bracket secured on the carriage E, Figs. 7 to l2. Said apron K is provided with a springfinger k2, rigidly attached thereto and extending toward the needle-cylinder. Said finger k2 is bent downward near its free end at 7c3, so that when the carriage is moved toward the needle-cylinder said free end runs under a horizontal projection or deector 7a4, rigidly secured to the inner face of the frame side f, and raises the apron K and lifts the hooks. IVhen the carriage is pressed back by the lever d, the apron K and hooks I fall by their own weight.

The outer end of each hook I is beveled at i and runs under a horizontal controller or projection il', secured in the same way as the deflector 704 above described,and when the carriage is nearest the needle-cylinder the lia-t top 712 ofthe hook proper is held against the under side of said controller, as shown in Fig. 10, by the apron K and its elastic finger 7a2. As many slides L as there are yarn-guides are arranged to slide horizontally in the ends f6 f7, said ends being slotted at fw f 11 therefor, and said slides being duplicates of each other and being arranged in the same horizontal plane with each other and being limited in their movement toward the needle-cylinder, as by upward extensions or stops Zat their outer or left ends, Figs. l, 7, and l0 to 13.

The yarn-guide retainers MI are duplicates of each other and are equal in number to the yarn-guide slides L, each retainer lying in the same vertical plane with one of the hooks I. Each retainer M is pivoted at m8 at one end to the front end of a slide L, at the back of the same,and is'provded with an upward projection m, which normally engages the outer edge n of a bar N, rigidly secured on the top of the frame to the sides ff'. When the projection m is disengaged from the bar N, the retainerMand the connected slide are thrown toward the needle-cylinder until the stop Z strikes the end f6 of the trame by the contraction 'of a spiral spring m2, stretched between a downward projection m', with which said retainer is provided, and a horizontal rod m3, supported in the frame F yat right angles to said retainer. rllhe projection m of the retainer M is thus disengaged from the bar N by a pattern -stud h, which projects from the pattern-cylinder II, striking upon and depressing an oiset or laterally projecting stud m4, with which said retainer is prof.

vided. When the retainer M is in the position nearest the needle-cylinder, as shown in Fig. 10, another offset m5, which projects laterally from said retainer, on the opposite side thereof from the offset m4, is directly under the center of the pattern-cylinder and may be struck and depressed byanother pattern-stud h on the pattern-cylinder sufficiently to bring the lower end of the projection mi into the path of the free end of the corresponding hook I, so that at the next outward movement of the carriage E said hook will engage said projection m and draw the retainer and corresponding slide back to the positions they are represented as occupying in Figs. 7 and 12, the projection m passing readily under the undercut edge n of the bar Naud being then raised into engagement with the edge n of the same by the contraction of a spiral spring m, connected to the projection m. and the corresponding slide L." The movement of each retainer on its pivot m8 is limited by a pin Z, which projects from the corresponding slide L into a slot m9 in said retainer, the length of said slot being just suificient to allow said retainer to rise into engagement with the bar N and to descend low enough to engage the corresponding hook I when the top 2 of the latter is against the under side ot' the controller t', as shown in Fig. l0.

To make the engagement ot the projection m with the hook I more certain and to prevent said hook from falling out of such engagement until the outward movement ot' the carriage is completed, the lower'end of said projection m is provided with a tooth m10, adapted to enter a notch 'i3 in said hook, so that in the outward movement of the carriage said hook when once so engaged will be held up by said projection m after it ceases to be supported bythe apron K. When the carriage again moves toward the needle-cylinder, the hook I will be moved out of engagement with the corresponding retainer M.

The hooks I are prevented from moving far enough toward the needle-cylinder to catch on ICO IIO

the controller by a stop-pin el, Figs. 1 and 8, which projects from the inner face of the frame sidefinto the path of a vertical post e8, (shown also in Figs. 10 to 12,) secured on the top of the carriage E near the front side and rear end of -said carriage.

Each retainer M is connected bya link m11 to a yarn-guide J', J2, J3, J, or J5, each link being pivoted at m12 and j to said retainer and guide, respectively, and all said links being duplicates of each other. All the yarn-guides move in parallel vertical plan es and are alike, except as hereinafter stated, it being necessary in order to deliver the severed ends from all of said guides at the same place or point that their delivery ends Ortubes j jzj3j4j5 should be of different lengths and should when farthest from the needle-cylinder lie in different planes in order that one yarn-guide may not interfere with the movement of another. The shank ,jm oi' the rearmost yarnguide J 5 is straight, and said shank is moved by the corresponding retainer M toward the needle-cylinder in a straight line and has a delivery-tube j of suiiicient length to reach int-o the angle between the loop-wheel and needle-cylinder and almost into contact with them when said guide is nearest said wheel and cylinder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said tube being at such an angle with said shank as to be about tangential at its delivery end to the needle-cylinder when nearest the same.

The yarns y y2 'yg g4 g5 of different colors are conducted from spools or bobbins (not shown, but of the usual construction and operation) through the eyes 'tz/6 y? ys y? ym of a stationary yarn-guide Y of usual construction, which may be supported in an obvious manner on the frame F, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or on the table C or other stationary object in a well-known manner. The yarn g5, passes from the eye y through an eye j and thence into and through the yarn-tube f to the needles. The tube js is slotted (see Figs. 1 and 2) at jo, and a retaining-finger 3'25 is loosely pivoted on the shank jl@ above said tube, the point or lower end of said finger resting on the yarn within said slot at such an angle as to prevent a backward movement of the yarn in said tube, while allowing the yarn to advance freely toward the delivery end of said tube, a backward tendency of the yarn causing said finger, by friction on the point of the same, to swing backward slightly and clamp the yarn against the inside of the bottom of said tube j5.

Each succeeding yarn-guide from the rear yarn-guide J has a longer yarn-tubej' j2j3j4, each being long enough to reach to the free end of the yarn-tube j5, and the rear of each stock jfjsjg nearest theneedle-cylinder is offset downward successively to a greater distance, as shown in Fig. l, to allow said tubes to overlie each other in the same vertical plane when at their greatest distance from the needle-cylinder. To raise the yarntubes 0f the other yarn-guides to the height of the yarn-tube of the rearmost yarn-guide J 5, the stocks or shanks of said other guides are each provided with two parallel portions jejjgsff, downwardly and outwardly inclined and so arranged that when the guide is farthest from the needle-cylinder the'vhighest parts of said inclines are resting upon their bearings in the ends f f of the frame F, the part of the stock between the inolines and between the frame and the needle-cylinder being then horizontal, as shown in Figs. l0 to l2. The inclination of the inclines in any yarn-guide stock is such that when the delivery-tube of said stock is nearest the needle-cylinder the delivery end of said tube is at the same height and carrying a retaining-finger,7'21e722 )'23 l724,7 f

The pattern-cylinder H, Figs. 6 and 7, has for each tooth in the ratchet-wheel H a longitudinal series of pattern-holes 0 0', the holes o for the studs h and the holes 0 for the studs h, two adjacent holes in each longitudinal seri'es for each retainer M, or, in other words, two equal annular series or rows of holes o o' for each retainer, so that if the ratchet has forty teeth and there are five retainersthe pattern-cylinder will have fou r hundred holes. Each pattern-hole may receive a pattern-stud; but only one stud at a time will be placed in the same longitudinal row of holes unless only a single course of the s ame color is to be introduced, in which casel the corresponding stud h in said annular row o will disengage the corresponding retainer M from the bar N and allow its yarn-,guide to be carried to its place nearest the knitting-cylinderg but when said retainer, with its yarn-guide, completes its movement toward the needle-cylinder its offset m5 will be held down by the correspending stud h', so that on the next outward movement of the carriage E said retainer will be caught by a hook I and carried back into engagement with the bar N. When only a single course ofvone color is to be knit, a stud h must be placed in a hole o in the next longitudinal row of holes following the row containing the stud h'last mentioned to disengage some other retainer from the bar N and allow the corresponding yarngnide to move into operative position before the single-course yarn has been severed, and thus prevent the needles from being without yarn. When any yarnguide moves away from the needle-cylinder, the corresponding delivery-tube passes between the blades p p of a pairv of open shears P, (for which and supporting and operative parts sce Figs. l to IOO IIO

which turns in said bracket and thrusts ra-f dially against said sleeve. Within the sleeve p2 turns a rod p7, to which the movable upper blade p is secured, said rod p7 extending through said sleeve and having an enlargement or collar p8. A spiral spring p9 surrounds the collar p8 and the adjacent end of the sleeve 192 and is compressed between and attached to a pin p10, driven through said rod p5 and projecting therefrom, and to another collar 1911, loose on the sleeve p2, but held in place by a set-screw p12 on the sleeve p2 in an obvious manner, said spring p9 serving to hold-the movable blade p normally open or raised and to keep its cutting edge in contact with that of the lower blade. The lifting power of said spring p9 may be varied by turning the collar p11 on the sleeve p2, and the pressure of the shear-blades on each other may be varied by moving said collar longitudinally on said sleeve.

The shears P are closed by the action of a lever Q, pivoted on the frame side f at Q, the outer end of said lever carrying an antifriction-roll Q', which is raised by the carriage E running under said roll every time said carriage is thrown outward, thus depressing the inner end of said lever, which inner end is pivoted at Q2 to the lower end of an angle plate or hook Q3, which is raised by a spring Q4, (shown as a helical spring,) stretched between a pin Q5, projecting from the frame end f7 and the lower part of said hook, said spring serving to lift the upper inner end of said lever Q when the carriage E runs out from under the outer lower end thereof. The upper end of the hook QB is provided with a vertical upward extension Q6, which runs through a spring-guide Q7, secured near one end at QB to the frame side j", the free end of said spring-guide being twisted one-quarter way around and perforated at Qg to receive and to form a bearing for said extension Q6. A light lever or finger Q10 is pivoted on the frame side f below the spring-guide Q7 and normally lies just back of the path of a backwardly-reaching arm Q11 of the hook QS, the free end of said tin ger resting upon and raised by the upper blade of the shears P. y

The rear end of the pattern-cylinder is provided with as many holes o2, Fig. 6, as there are longitudinal rows of pattern-holes o o above described, forty holes o2 being shown. A pin h2 placed in any hole o2 will in the revolution of the pattern-cylinder press against the inner beveled end Q12 of a stud Q13, secured in the front face of the spring-guide Q1, and throw the free end of said spring-guide and the upper end of the hook. Q3 backward far enough to canse the arm Q11 to depress the finger Q10, and thereby the upper blade p of the shears P, cutting the yarn between said blades. The arrangement of the holes o2 is such that the cutting takes'place when the yarn-guide carrying the yarn to be cut is farthest from the needle-cylinder.

To insure the severed end of anyyarn reaching its place simultaneously with the termination of the movement of its yarn-guide toward the needle-cylinder, a current of air from any suitable blower (not shown) or equivalent device is directed through the pipe R and discharged into the angle between the loop-wheel and needle-cylinder. rFhis aircurrent will not be necessary when stiff yarn is used, but may be employed when the yarn is so slender or slack-twisted as to lag behind the quick movement of the yarn-guide.

The loop-wheel guide Z1 is for the usual purpose of preventing the yarn from being raised above the beards of the needles, but is especially necessaryin connection with the thread guides or carriers above described, which in receding from the loop-wheel tend to increase the angle between the under side of the yarn and the axis of the loop-wheel and to draw the yarn up over the'loopwheel.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a series of yarn-guides having delivery ends, and means for causing said delivery ends, one at a time in approaching said cylinder,to reach the same place without moving any other delivery end toward said cyliuder.

2. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a yarn-guide, means for causing said yarn-guide to approach andto recede from said cylinder, and shears, between the open blades of which said yarn-guide passes in receding from said cylinder.

3. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a plurality of yarn-guides, means for causing,one at a time, any one of said yarnguides to approach said cylinder, and a single tube, to direct a jet of air, across the path of said approaching guide and toward said loopwheel.

4. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a yarn-guide, having a delivery end, means for causing said yarn-guide to ap- .proach said needle-cylinder, means for causing said guide to recede from said cylinder, and separate pattern devices to control the operation of either of said means.

5. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-Wheel, ayarn-guide, havinga yarn-delivery end, a slide, a link, connecting said guido and said slide, a yarn-guide retainer, pivoted to said slide and provided with a projection, a stop, adapted to be engaged by said projection, to hold said yarn-guide away from said needle-cylinder, a spring, to move said yarnguide toward said needle-cylinder when said projection is disengaged from said stop, and a pattern device to force said projection out oi engagement with said stop.

ICO'

IIO

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6. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a yarn-guide, having a yarn-delivery end, a slide, a link, connecting said guide and said slide, a yarn-guide retainer, pivoted to said slide and provided with a projection, a stop, to be engagedby said projection, to hold said yarn-guide away from said needlecylinder, a reciprocating hook, adapted to engage another projection with which said retainer is provided, a pattern device, to force said last-named projection into the path of said hook, and a spring, to raise said firstnamed projection into engagement with said stop.

7. The combination of a needle-cylinder,a loop-wheel, a yarn-guide, havinga yarn-delivery end, a slide, a link, connecting said guide and said slide, a yarn-guide retainer, pivoted to said slide and provided with a projection, a' stop, adapted to be engaged by said projection, to hold said yarn-guide away from said needle-cylinder, a spring, to move said yarnguide toward said needle-cylinder when said projection is disengaged from said stop, a pattern device to force said projection out of engagement with said stop,a reciprocating hook, adapted to engage another projection with which said retainer is provided, another pattern device, to force said last-named projection into the path of said hook, and a spring, to raise said first-named projection' into engagement with said stop.

8. The combination of a needle-cylinder, provided with a cam, a lever, operated by said cam, a carriage, a spring, to hold said carriage in engagement with said lever, a series of hooks, pivoted on said carriage and each provided with a notch, an apron, pivoted on said carriage and extending under all of said hooks and having a spring-iinger, a controller, to limit the upward movement of said hooks, a deiiector, to press upon said spring-finger and thereby to lift said apron against said hooks, a series of slides, equal in number to said hooks, an equal series of yarn-guide retainers, each pivoted to one of said slides, and each provided with a downward projection having a tooth, adapted to engage the notch of the corresponding hook, and each retainer having two oppositely-projecting lateral offsets and an upward projection, adapted to engage a stop-bar, said stop-bar, an equal series of yarn-guides, links, each connecting a yarn-guide and a retainer, pattern devices, to engage said offsets, to bring said retainerteeth into the path of said hooks, or at will to disengage said retainer from said stop-bar.

9. The combination of a needle-cylinder, a loop-wheel, a series of movable yarn guides or carriers, means of causing said guides or carriers to approach and recede from said cylinder, and a loop-wheel guide arranged to direct the yarn into the needles while the yarnguides are receding from said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT WHITE. Witnesses:

ALBERT M. MOORE, JAMES SYKEs. 

